Little Moments
by mahmfic
Summary: Dawn needs to do her homework.


"Can you look over my math homework to make sure it's all right? Buffy said she was going to ground me if I didn't get at least a 90 on this one."

Spike raised an eyebrow, looking very intimidated by the teenager's homework that she'd slid across the table toward him. It was an innocent gesture. He made a face when he leaned over to take a glance at her work. The way of solving the problems was new and usual to him. It didn't make any sort of sense. How did could he do something that was supposed to be normal and simple? "I dunno, poppet. I don't think I can check your work."

Dawn gave him one of her classic pouts. "Why not?"

"We... did maths differently when I was in school."

It was Dawn's turn to raise an eyebrow. " _Maths_?"

He sent her a steely glare. "Yes, _maths_. As in mathematic _s_. You bloody Americans."

"You bloody _British_." Dawn retorted. "Now come on. If maths was _so different_ show me."

He took the notebook that was beside Dawn's textbook, flipped it open to a random blank page and scribbled a simple problem. He was about to arrange the notebook so the teen could read it right side up, only to find Dawn leaning halfway over the table, looking very gobsmacked.

"What the hell is that?"

"See. I told you."

"I mean... What did they even teach you?"

Spike blinked. The blinked again. "Maths."

"That was all your homework?" he asked again. Spike counted out three spaces to himself and moved his red piece to it's place. "You sure?" Argh, he hated it when he had to be responsible.

"Yeah," Dawn's voice squeaked. "I finished history at school. You... erm... helped me with my math. My book report on Brave New World isn't due until the end of the month, so I'm okay there." She pulled out a card from the deck and moved her green man only 1 space to her chagrin.

Spike hummed. He had three pieces already home and one on the way. One of Dawn's green pawns was in the way however. He pulled a card from the deck and smiled like shark. The vampire roughly shoved Dawn's lone green piece aside, yelling, "Sorry!" and moved his last guy to home.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!"

They were huddled together in front of the microwave watching two different colored Peeps turn around and around as they melted. What made this special was that each Peep was equipped with its own 'spear' (a toothpick). The pair was ready and waiting to see whose Peep was going to be killed off first.

Dawn's yellow Peep barely pierced the flesh of Spike's pink one just as the microwave dinged. Spike growled in defeat and Dawn cheered, before shoving before treats into her mouth.

"This movie is shite."

Dawn hit the vampire's shoulder. "Hey! I like this shit."

"Well it's shite."

Dawn took a large gulp from her soda, side-eyeing Spike. "You have no taste."

Spike gawked at the teen. "Seriously? You're saying that I have no taste?"

"You like Abbott and Costello," Dawn replied. "It's old and in black and white and it's not funny."

"You only think it's not funny cause your shite has copied off it." He reached into the popcorn bowl and popped a few of the buttery kernels into his mouth. Almost immediately he scrunched up his face and spit out the offending food. "Oh God, why do I keep trying that?"

"Cause your movies suck?"

Spike gave Dawn at icy glare. "Little bit, I think Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy beats Gigli any day."

Dawn threw the first fist full of popcorn at the they ran out of the buttery food, they began tossing the beanie babies that Willow had left at the house. Neither noticed the door opening and a certain vampire slayer coming through and watching the pair, her anger seething.

Spike stilled when he caught sight of Buffy out of the corner of his eye. A bat beanie baby hit him in the nose and flopped to the floor.

"Well, I hoped that you at least did your homework. And studied for that test. Dawn, go to bed." Buffy's voice was clipped.

"Buffy-" Dawn whined.

"Go. To. Bed."

Dawn tossed the beanie baby (a purple platypus) she was holding down on the sofa and stomped away, her heavy footsteps echoing throughout the small house.

"I didn't know she had-" Spike was interrupted by the house of Dawn slamming her bedroom door. "A test."

Buffy sighed and ran her fingers through her now naturally dark hair. "Of course she didn't tell you." She rested on the couch, sitting on the platypus that Dawn had thrown. "I don't know what to do with her sometimes. She's doing better here in school but I know she has more potential." Buffy turned her attention to the television. "Oh God, were you watching Gigli?"

"It was not my choice," Spike defended himself.

"It's the absolute worst. I had to see it in theaters with Anya. I wanted to kill myself."

Spike smiled cheekily. "It's your sister's favorite."

"I should ground her based on that."

Spike was lazily playing with an old metal slinky when Dawn came home the next afternoon. He knew it was her because she slammed the door so hard all of the pictures on the wall shook and a few of the knick-knacks on the fireplaces fell over. The metal in his hands actually vibrated.

He twisted his body around so he could see Dawn. She was red in the face and eyes, like she'd be crying recently. "Come and sit down, little bit." He pat down the empty space beside him on the couch.

The teen obeyed, kicking up her legs on the coffee table.

"How'd the test go?"

Dawn sent him one hell of a glare, but otherwise stayed 100% silent.

"That great, huh?"

A few tears escaped from Dawn's eyes and suddenly the cascade started flowing.

Spike threw his arm around Dawn's shoulder and crushed the girl into a hug. He let her sob onto his shoulder, getting his duster soaking wet. He didn't say anything. They sat in companionable silence. Spike stroked her long hair and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze every so often.

When Dawn emerged from his shoulder, Spike thought she looked like a red panda.

"Are you mad at me?"

He shook his head. "Never. You know what we should do?"

"Study for my re-test?"

"Enjoy your last bit of freedom until Buffy gets home and grounds you."

Dawn cracked a bright smile.

It was times like these that Spike was happy having Dawn in his existence.


End file.
